Author: Mid-America Freight Coalition

Image of map showing U.S.A. Marine Highway Routes

America’s Forgotten Marine Highway Network That Could Green Global Freight Transport

Maritime

“The U.S. maritime industry has long been a neglected sector and has not received as much attention as transformation in road transport (e.g., electric and autonomous trucking) and air transport (e.g., the development of electric and autonomous cargo drones). The electric and autonomous shipping revolution is being driven primarily by China and Scandinavian countries. With […]

Hopper style rail cars

MAFC has completed an Analysis of Surface Transportation Board Waybill Data for Freight Planning and Operations.

MAFC Rail

The objective of this study is to review the STB rail waybill data, analyze it, and examine the adequacy of the data for state freight rail planning and operations decision-making. The study reviews waybill data, focusing on aspects including accessibility, composition, quality, and usability of the data. It compares the waybill data against alternate databases, […]

Multiple MAFC states benefit from Marine Highway Funding

Maritime News

Continued efforts in developing the marine freight system across the MAASTO region are paying off. Funds have specifically been granted to ports in Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois. Neighboring states, upstream and downstream MAASTO states will also benefit from this funding. On June 15, 2020 U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announced $9.5 Million in Grants […]

Commodity Flow Survey Workshop has been postponed.

News

Many of you have likely received notification directly from TRB, but the Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) Workshop set for April 2 & 3 has been postponed until September 24-25, 2020. Please see the event page for more information: https://www.nationalacademies.org/event/09-24-2020/commodity-flow-survey-workshop.

Trucks in snow illustrating highway freight transportation.

AASHTO submits comments on National Strategic Freight Plan

Highway News

AASHTO provided comments on freight reauthorization to the U.S. DOT this past February. The AASHTO freight policy perspective reflects a continued interest to better define the multimodal freight system, provide funding and program flexibility, allow for technological advances, build on freight performance measures, improve project delivery and re-establish a freight-specific, cooperative research program. The AASHTO […]

MAASTO States work to provide safe and sufficient truck parking.

MAASTO MAFC

This article was originally posted on January 7, 2020. MAFC has completed a Mid America Association of State Transportation Officials (MAASTO) Regional Truck Parking Inventory project for the MAASTO Motor Carriers Committee and the Standing Committee on Highway Transport examining and mapping truck parking availability, parking amenities, and lot information. The report summarizes public parking […]

California Authorizes Light-Duty Autonomous Delivery Vehicles

News

This article was originally posted on January 2, 2020. California will allow the testing and commercialuse of light-duty autonomous delivery vehicles on the state’s public roads,and residents could soon receive deliveries from an autonomous vehicle. In developing and adopting this rule-making, the DMV followed the same approach used for past AV regulations packages, including a […]

National Freight Strategic Plan: Request for Information

News Research

This article was originally posted on December 30th, 2019. Comments due February 10, 2020 on the NFSP. The request for comment includes specific questions about how the plan should address several industry and agency policy issues. Access the federal register request link here.

MAASTO partners with Wisconsin DOT to host CAV Summit

News

This article was orginally posted on November 22, 2019. Collaboration in development of freight operations, policy, and infrastructure across the MAASTO states has proven beneficial for agencies and freight stakeholders. High levels of the multi-state collaboration exhibited by the MAASTO states is also imperative to support successful adoption of CAV across the region. The executive […]